Governor’s Budget Recommendations Affect UW

December 2, 2013

Key University of Wyoming initiatives to retain top
employees, launch improvements to the College of Engineering and Applied
Science, and upgrade technology would receive state funding under Gov. Matt
Mead’s budget recommendations for the 2015-16 biennium.

The governor’s proposal, announced Friday, now goes to the
Legislature for consideration during its 2014 budget session.

“We appreciate the governor’s support for the university’s
efforts to enhance the quality of instruction, research and service we provide
to the state,” says Dick McGinity, UW’s interim vice president for academic
affairs, who is fulfilling the duties of president. “I look forward to working
with legislators to answer their questions and to assure that the university
uses state resources wisely as we move forward with changes that will benefit
all of Wyoming.”

The university’s top budget priority for the coming biennium
is providing merit-based pay increases for UW employees, after four years of no
state funding for raises. The governor’s proposal calls for an average increase
of 2.5 percent each of the next two years, totaling slightly more than 5
percent including compounding effects, for UW and state employees. UW’s budget
request had sought an average 4 percent increase starting in the fiscal year
that begins July 1, 2014.

“We are grateful that the governor recognizes the need for
action to halt the loss of our top people to other institutions,” says
McGinity, who notes that Mead had recommended funding for pay raises during the
2013 legislative session as well. “The governor’s proposal is a good first step
toward our ultimate objective of bringing employee salaries to the market
average of our comparator institutions.”

An important provision in the governor’s proposal would have
the state cover legislatively mandated increases in employee contributions to
the state retirement system in the coming biennium. That includes an increase
in retirement contributions approved by the 2013 Legislature, as well as
increases proposed for consideration in the 2014 session. Without that separate
appropriation, UW and state employees would be responsible for the employees’ 1
percent share of increased retirement contributions, cutting into the effects
of salary increases.

“The governor’s proposal would serve to stem the erosion of
compensation increases by having the state pick up the employees’ share of
higher retirement contributions,” McGinity says. “We appreciate his plan to
preserve the full impact of employee pay raises while strengthening the state
retirement system.”

In response to a request from the Wyoming Governor’s Energy,
Engineering, STEM Integration Task Force, Mead proposes an $8 million ongoing
increase -- which would be combined with the reallocation of $9.2 million in
internal UW dollars -- to make programmatic improvements in the College of Engineering
and Applied Science. In addition, the governor recommends the release of $7.9
million previously appropriated for planning and design of a major project to
expand and renovate the Engineering Building; $10.5 million for a new Energy
Engineering Research Facility, to be matched by private dollars; and $5 million
for an endowed professorship in petroleum engineering, also to be matched with
private contributions.

“The initiative to lift the university to ‘Tier 1’ status in
engineering is one of the most ambitious, exciting projects in the university’s
history,” McGinity says. “The governor’s budget proposal, combined with
previous appropriations for facility improvements, will launch us down the path
to achieving our shared ambition.”

Other one-time expenditures recommended by the governor are
$5 million to fully fund the second phase of improvements to UW’s
Arena-Auditorium; $6 million for campus water infrastructure upgrades; $4
million to continue upgrading classrooms in UW’s aging buildings; $2.8 million
to improve and expand student wireless connections, replace computer network
switches and expand the campus technology infrastructure; and $1 million to
upgrade Wyoming Public Media transmitters around the state. UW’s brucellosis
research project also would see a $200,000 one-time increase.

Mead recommends $727,000 in ongoing funding for new clinical
sciences faculty and staff in the medical laboratory technician program at the
UW/Casper College Center so that students in Casper can earn bachelor’s degrees
in clinical laboratory sciences. That initiative stems from UW’s collaborative
efforts with Casper College and the Casper Area Economic Development Alliance,
part of the university’s goal of further extending academic programs across the
state.

The governor also proposes a $706,000 increase in operating
dollars to maintain new UW facilities in Casper, Sheridan and Riverton; and
$665,000 for operation and maintenance of the biosafety level 3 laboratory in
the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab.